Thompson Signs Law On Work-injury Cases

December 19, 1989

CHICAGO — A law designed to end the backlog of injured-worker cases at the Illinois Industrial Commission was signed Monday by Gov. James Thompson, who also named a longtime adviser to head a committee monitoring reform at the state agency. Under the law, Thompson must name three new commissioners by next month. The new commissioners will help eliminate an estimated 4,000 cases that have been heard by arbitrators but are being appealed to the commission. Also, the law prohibits new evidence from being introduced at the appeals stage, leaving reviews to legal matters.

Thompson named Chicago lawyer Michael Hasten, former chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, to head the nine-member advisory board that will monitor reform progress at the Industrial Commission.